Another big step!

Starting on June 2nd Omni Egg Share and Dog Island Farm are collaborating and bringing you urban farming and homesteading workshops! We’ve both been teaching so many classes for other places that we finally decided to bring it home and teach them here, on familiar territory where we can make them more interactive with students. So, with no further adieu, here is our upcoming schedule:

Homebrew 101 – Malt Extract Brewing and Hard Cider
Sunday, June 2nd 11am – 1pm at Dog Island Farm in Vallejo
$30/person or $50/couple
Learn the basics to making your own homebrew and hard cider including the equipment you’ll need, different types of ingredients, the different types of homebrew and hard ciders, recipes and kegging and bottling procedures. We will get you started using the easiest form of homebrewing with premade malt extracts which make quality control much easier for the beginning homebrewer. Must be at least 21 years old to attend.

Class Instructor: Rachel Hoff has been making homebrew and hard cider since 2002 and has been making homemade sodas since 2009. She’s made a vast variety of different types of ales, stouts, and ciders over the years.

Register Here or Contact Rachel or Brande at classes@dogislandfarm.com

Cold Process Soapmaking – Vanilla Oatmeal Soap
Sunday, June 16th 11am – 1pm at Dog Island Farm in Vallejo
$30/person or $50/couple
We will make a batch of soap using base oils, essential oils, and lye. We will talk about the safe use of Sodium Hydroxide and you will learn how to develop your own recipes using a lye calculator. We will discuss the effects of different base oils and additives, and you will leave with a sample of what we make in class.

Class Instructor: Brande Wijn has been making soap for five years and has been teaching soap workshops for three years.

Register Here or Contact Rachel or Brande at classes@dogislandfarm.com

Chickens 101
Sunday, June 23rd 11am – 1pm at Dog Island Farm in Vallejo
$25/person or $40/couple
Learn everything you need to know about basic chicken care. We’ll talk about the different breeds and reasons for raising chickens. You will learn about feed, supplements, and their dietary needs in general. We will go over how to handle your birds properly, examine them for issues, and take care of their physical and social needs.

Class instructors: Rachel Hoff has been raising chickens for eggs and meat for 7 years and has been teaching beginning and advanced chicken workshops for the past 2 years. Brande Wijn has been raising chickens for both eggs and meat for three years, and currently runs a small urban egg CSA.

Register Here or Contact Rachel or Brande at classes@dogislandfarm.com

Commercial Pectin-Free Preserves
Sunday, July 14th 11am – 1pm at Dog Island Farm in Vallejo
$30/person or $50/couple
Learn how to make preserves and even jellies without adding commercial pectin. We will go over safe canning techniques the types of fruit that can be used for making pectin-free preserves. Students will go home with a jar of preserves from class.

Class Instructors: Rachel Hoff has been making a vast variety of preserves without added pectin since 2006. Brande Wijn has been making preserves since 2008 and has led several workshops on fruit canning.

Register Here or Contact Rachel or Brande at classes@dogislandfarm.com

Vegetable Pickling
Sunday, July 21st 11am – 1pm at Dog Island Farm in Vallejo
$30/person or $50/couple
Learn another method for preserving the harvest, vegetable pickling. We will discuss both acid pickling and lacto-fermentation methods, and we will have a hands-on demonstration of the methods for producing safe and tasty pickles from your fresh garden vegetables. Students will get to personalize and take home a jar of pickled vegetables.

Class instructors: Brande Wijn has been professionally trained in the culinary arts and has been making and teaching vegetable pickling workshops since 2009. Rachel Hoff has been making vegetable pickles since 2008.

Register Here or Contact Rachel or Brande at classes@dogislandfarm.com

Fall and Winter Garden Planning
Sunday, July 28th 11am – 1pm at Dog Island Farm in Vallejo
$30/person or $50/couple
That’s right! It is already time to start thinking about your fall and winter gardens! Learn what, how and when to start planting for a well-timed and productive fall and winter garden here in the Bay Area. We will talk about concepts like overwintering vegetables, cover crops, perennials, and cold hardiness. We’ll go over what your soil needs to get through the winter, and the proper methods of bed preparation and crop rotation to prevent pests and diseases. Attendees will go home with a 6pack of fall vegetable starts.

Class instructors: Both Brande Wijn and Rachel Hoff have been gardening for over 20 years each and teaching gardening workshops for the past two years.

Register Here or Contact Rachel or Brande at classes@dogislandfarm.com

Tomato Canning
Sunday, August 4th 11am – 1pm at Dog Island Farm in Vallejo
$30/person or $50/couple
Tomato season is in full swing. If you’re anything like us, you’ve got them coming out of your ears and are trying to find ways to preserve your bounty. We will discuss proper canning methods to produce a safe product and different recipes including juice, sauces, paste, and jam. Students will go home with a jar of pizza sauce.

Class instructors: Rachel Hoff has been preserving tomatoes in various forms since 2006. Brande Wijn has been formally trained in culinary arts and has been leading canning workshops since 2009.

Register Here or Contact Rachel or Brande at classes@dogislandfarm.com

Advanced Chicken
Thursday, August 15th, 6pm – 8pm at Dog Island Farm in Vallejo
$25/per or $40/couple
Learn how to introduce new birds to your flock, health care from prevention to diagnosing problems, holistic and traditional care and when a vet should be contacted, nutrition and mixing your own feed, feed supplements, and the life cycle of chickens including hatching your own.

Class instructors: Rachel Hoff has been raising chickens for eggs and meat for 7 years and has been teaching beginning and advanced chicken workshops for the past 2 years. Brande Wijn has been raising chickens for both eggs and meat for three years, and currently owns a small urban egg CSA.

Register Here or Contact Rachel or Brande at classes@dogislandfarm.com

Seed Saving
Sunday, August 25th 11am – 1pm at Dog Island Farm
$25/person or $45/couple
Heirlooms and open pollinated varieties are gaining in popularity, not just because they increase our biodiversity but also because you can save seed from them year to year. Come learn how to save seed, why you should know how to save seed, and how to keep varieties from cross-pollinating. Students will get to take home a packet of open pollinated seeds to plant the following year.

Class Instructors: Rachel Hoff has been growing all open pollinated plants, most of which are heirlooms for specific purpose of saving seed since 2004 and has taught workshops on seed saving for the past two years. Brande Wijn has been growing a year-round vegetable garden using open-pollinated seeds for several years and has hosted workshops on seed-saving.

Register Here or Contact Rachel or Brande at classes@dogislandfarm.com

Condiments
Sunday, September 8th 11am – 1pm at Dog Island Farm
$30/person or $50/couple
Are you running out of ways to use up all those late summer tomatoes and peppers? Learn to make your own delicious condiments and put them up to enjoy the whole year! We will be making our own homegrown hot sauce, BBQ sauce, and ketchup, using farm fresh produce and tons of great herbs and spices. Students will get to take home a jar of a personalized condiment spiced how they like it.

Class instructors: Rachel Hoff has been making various condiments from her homegrown produce since 2006. Brande Wijn has been formally trained in culinary arts and has led several canning workshops.

Register Here or Contact Rachel or Brande at classes@dogislandfarm.com

Have you ever considered raising goats but don’t really know if it’s for you? Come learn about what it takes to have your own milk-producing (or not) family goats. Meet a few, see where they live, and learn what goes into keeping them happy and healthy. Learn about how milk production works, and about how much work goes into daily life with goats.

Class instructor: Rachel Hoff raises dwarf breed goats for dairy and is a member of the American Dairy Goats Association. Brande Wijn has her own small herd and has assisted with care and kidding of others’ as well.

Register Here or Contact Rachel or Brande at classes@dogislandfarm.com

Refund Policy:

You will receive a full refund if you cancel at least 7 days in advance. Refunds will not be given if you cancel with less than 7 days before the class, however, you are free to send someone in your stead.